10 Movie Characters You’d Love to Go RVing With
by CarInsuranceQuotes.net Staff Writer on March 16, 2012
Imagine sharing an RV with Clark Griswold, Del Griffith, John Rambo, and a young Che Guevara while traveling across country. Sound appealing? It might for a generation who grew up on Vacation, Plans, Trains & Automobiles, First Blood, and The Motorcycle Diaries, and daydreamed about participating in shows like Road Rules and The Real World. Sure, the characters may stop being polite, but hey, things will never start getting real because, well, this is just a fantasy. Here are 10 movie characters (11, actually), provided they'd all fit into an RV, with whom we would like to imagine going on a long, strange trip.
The Driver, Drive
He isn't much of a talker and he doesn't have the most effervescent personality, but he is a real hero and a real human being. More importantly, he loves to do one thing — drive. Highly skilled at his craft, he could evade an overzealous state trooper in any condition, even in a 12,000-pound vehicle. He's intensely focused, and certainly isn't afraid to ignore the speed limit if it means reaching his destination in a quick manner.
John Rambo, First Blood
Again, not the most effervescent personality, but you need someone to deal with potential road rage incidents when your driver is as aggressive as The Driver. Plus, if you're ever stranded in the middle of nowhere, John will have all the tools necessary for survival and will undoubtedly protect you and your group from cops intent on throwing a motley group of out-of-towners in jail.
Clark Griswold, Vacation
Every cross country excursion needs a leader, and Clark has been the architect of multiple vacation adventures. He'd be a good addition not because he's a particularly good manager, but because chaos always seems to find him. You'll be sure to remember a trip in which you endure gunshots, a gnarly trip through the ghetto, and money-hungry hillbillies.
Ernesto Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries
Depending on your personal political philosophy, you may think of Che Guevara as a murderous thug, or you may think of him as a hero. Regardless, based on Motorcycle Diaries, you can deduct that he makes an awesome travel companion. As an ambitious, fun-seeking youth, he traversed Latin America and developed his Marxist beliefs along the way as he witnessed the large division between the "haves" and "have nots." Executive producer Paul Webster compared this version of Guevara to Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, who are certainly more fun than your stereotypical militant revolutionary.
Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp), Into the Wild
Yes, it's based on a true story. And no, it didn't end well for Chris. But you have to admire his adventurous spirit and self-sufficiency, which was impressive for a recent college graduate who grew up in the D.C. burbs. Inspired by writers such as Kerouac, Chris embarked on a journey to Alaska and spiritual realization, escaping the monotony of so-called responsibility and adulthood, things we'd certainly be avoiding on this trip.
Christina, Vicky Christina Barcelona
Forget, Vicky. Let's invite Christina, the free-spirited, more spontaneous of the pair of friends who spent a summer in Barcelona. Her consent to joining a polyamorous relationship with the Spaniard with whom she and Vicky had trysts would probably go over well in an RV full of men, whom she'd hopefully be able to corral. Her best trait is that she's a good friend, as evidenced by her acceptance of Vicki after she admitted to sleeping with the Spaniard when Christina was more interested in pursuing him.
Del Griffith, Plains, Trains & Automobiles
When you're traveling with guys like The Driver, John Rambo, and the perpetually stressed out Clark Griswold, you need genuinely good people who can lighten the mood. Del fits the bill, and his own words to his cold travel companion, Neal Page, in Plains, Trains & Automobiles prove it: "Yeah, you're right, I talk too much. I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you … but I don't like to hurt people's feelings. Well, you think what you want about me; I'm not changing." And, in the end, even if he isn't the 100% "real article," you'd have a lifelong friend.
Thelma & Louis, Thelma & Louis
If the group plans to head to Mexico, Thelma and Louis can provide the directions — just don't trust them with the group's cash. Both have an axe to grind with truck drivers, so the more aggressive ones who refuse to share the road with an RV will be sorry. But if the group breaks a law or two, watch out, because things can spiral out of control quickly. The last thing you want is for the trip to end at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Edward Cole, Bucket List
Vacations aren't cheap, especially in RVs — have you seen gas prices lately? Edward, of course, financed an elaborate excursion around the world with his new friend, who was also dying from lung cancer, to accomplish each item on their buckets lists. Their activities included riding motorcycles on the Great Wall of China, seeing the Taj Mahal, and skydiving. While such a trip would be difficult to duplicate in an RV, it should be noted that there are many, many fun and pricy things to experience in the old U.S. of A.
Richard, The Beach
For one, Richard knows how to follow a map, which would come in handy when the outdated GPS system becomes sluggish. He can also kill a mako shark with a harpoon, a skill that would come in handy during those beach stops. And, if any of the travelers were to become severely injured or fall ill, he would have the strength to mercy kill them to end the agony (and get rid of the weak link).
